Ethan Hawke Shares Heartfelt Memories of Robert Redford's Early Faith in His Career
Actor Ethan Hawke cherished special moments shared with Robert Redford prior to the legendary Oscar laureate's passing this week.
“He personally selected Before Sunrise to inaugurate the [Sundance Film] Festival and then presented it,” Hawke, age 54, revealed in an exclusive statement to Us Weekly during the September 17 Wednesday premiere event for The Lowdown at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “It marked a pivotal point in both [director] Richard Linklater's and my careers, simply for Robert Redford to mentor us, express, ‘I have faith in you two,’ and allow our film to kick off the festival.”
He further shared, “At that period, we were receiving unfavorable critiques and the like. Redford stood out as among the initial individuals to truly grasp that film and appreciate its unique qualities.”
Linklater, 65 years old, penned and helmed the 1995 feature Before Sunrise, which officially debuted at the renowned Utah cinematic event, serving as the inaugural installment of his Before series. Hawke portrayed Jesse, acting alongside Julie Delpy, who played Céline.
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“Everyone anticipated the filmmaker behind Slacker would produce a sequel, Reality Bites 2 — but that’s not the path he chose. He pursued a different creative direction,” Hawke commented on Wednesday concerning Linklater’s body of work. “Redford’s reaction was, ‘That’s impressive.’ And our thought was, ‘Wow, Redford believes we’re impressive. Perhaps we really are?’”
Redford passed away on Tuesday, September 16, at 89 years old, with Hawke joining numerous other celebrities in publicly expressing their sympathies.
“Robert Redford, the preeminent advocate for independent cinema, an unwavering proponent of genuine narratives, and an intensely devoted environmentalist,” Hawke posted on Instagram. “Robert’s enduring impact is etched into our cultural fabric, shaped by his artistic contributions, his activism, and his establishment of the Sundance Institute and Film Festival.”
Beyond his extensive catalog of acting roles, Redford’s Sundance Institute forged a collaboration with the yearly festival starting in 1981.
“It felt like someone standing outside an illicit bar or something similar. People would inquire, ‘What brings you here?’ And I would respond, ‘Well, we have a project underway,’” Redford recounted to The Hollywood Reporter in 2009. “It took roughly half a decade before I even recognized that we would flourish and persist.”
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Sundance showcased Linklater’s Slacker in 1991, with Before Sunrise appearing at the festival four years subsequent.
“I attended in ’91 with my initial feature that garnered any attention, Slacker,” Linklater recollected to THR during that period. “Slacker was part of the competition, which is noteworthy. It was an exceptionally unusual movie. It didn't secure any accolades or similar recognition, yet it still benefited the film. It provided excellent exposure. I consistently enjoyed presenting at Sundance. I was certainly not a one-time participant at Sundance. I was always delighted to return.”
Regarding Hawke, his next role will be portraying Lee Raybon in FX’s upcoming series, The Lowdown.
“Sterlin Harjo’s Reservation Dogs perfectly exemplifies quirky, unconventional, deeply human, humorous, and insightful storytelling. When those elements converge, it creates something truly magical,” Hawke, who also serves as an executive producer for the series, informed Us about The Lowdown’s showrunner. “I simply desired to collaborate with him, and now we find ourselves within a crime genre framework. It's actually somewhat simpler when operating within a specific genre. Viewers appreciate genre. ‘What is the enigma? Who committed the act? Who is the perpetrator? Who will face peril?’ All these familiar conventions enhance the viewing pleasure of the series, yet it nonetheless retains all his distinctive idiosyncrasies and compassionate depth.”
The Lowdown is set to debut on FX on Tuesday, September 23, at 9 p.m. ET.
